Container structure with handle attachment



May 19, 1953 AQJ. GoLDsMlTH 2,639,082

' CONTAINER STRUCTURE wITH HANDLE ATTACHMENT l Filed May 26, 1948 Patented May 19, 1953 CONTAINER STRUCTURE WITH HANDLE ATTACHMENT Albert J. Goldsmith, New York, N. Y.

Application May 26, 1948, Serial No. 29,357

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in carrying handle structures for cartons, parcelsand like containers.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide means affording simplicity and economy in the manufacture of a strong, durable and efficient handle structure adapted for ready incorporation in cartons and like carrying cases.

It is another object of the invention to provide means contributing to a neat appearance for the handle structure, which may serve simultaneously as a lock for the carton or the like and is preferably so affixed to the carton that the latter may be advantageously used for holding light as well as heavy articles.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means facilitating the attachment of the handle structure to the carton during the production stages of the latter.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of means minimizing the weakening of the walls of the container although the handle structure is threaded or passed through slits of the latter. f

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide means ensuring suitable and convenient hand gripping structures applied to the container or carton at a location thereof remote from that portion of said handle structure which is engaged by the hand of the user.

Stillanother object of the invention is to provide means ensuring the location of the handle structure with respect to the carton so that at all times a perfect balance is obtained when the user carries the carton or box.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide means affording the distribution of pulling or other forces in a most favorable manner whereby the median or gripping portion of the handle structure is directed to the opposite ends of closeable slits provided in the carton top walls from where the enlarged end portions of the handle structure extend and TlXedly engage the underface of the lowermost top'wall and adjacent the closeable slit thereof. Thus, the points of attack of the pulling forces are `diverted toward the underface of the lowermost top wall of the carton halves when the same telescopically en' gage with each other in closed condition of the carton. y

It is still another object of the invention to provide means protecting the handle structure from being damaged or coming ap-art when the carton is being carried during rainy weather etc., the" handle structure preferably forming layers. or

2 plies of material such as paper and tape, or other cellulosic material, or plastic material with tape. These and other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claim and illustrated in the accompanying draw'- ing which discloses, by Way of example, the principle of the invention and preferred modes which have been contemplated for applying said princible. e

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a knock-down carton embodying the` invention. n f

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the carton of Fig. k1

in erect conditionvand in the process of being closed. f

Fig. 3 shows a top plan view'of thel carton of Fig. 1 in closed condition.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through thecarton and Ahandle in the process of being closed.

Fig. 6 isa sectional view taken along line 6,-6 of Fig. 3. f e

Fig.v 7 lshows atop plan view of the handle with a part thereof broken away.

Fig. 8 shows a fragmentary View similar to that of Fig. 2; the carton embodying a modified form of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. l a knock-down carton I0 in unfolded condition which has the conventional sideflaps II and I2, the bottom I3, the side walls I4, I5 andthe top walls or flaps I6 and I1. 1 The sideA flaps II and I2 terminate in hook-shaped elements IIa, IIb and I 2a, I2b, respectively, for insertion in slots I8, I9 and 20, 2I, whereby two engageable carton or receptacle parts 22, 23 `are provided which swiner about fold lines I3'a, I3b of the bottom I3 for engagement with each other, whereby receptacle part 22 comes to lie within the confines of receptacle part 23.

For claritys sake, Fig. 2 shows the top flaps I6 and I1 of carton IU in erected condition with the hook-shaped elements I8, 20 and I9, 2|, respectively, in engagement position.

As can 'be further seen from Fig. 1, to the inner surface I'ia of flap I1 is permanently affixed as by adhesive 24 or other securing means a handle 25 which -consists of a middle or gripping portion 2'I of paper and outer end portions 28, 29 (Fig. 7). Lengthwisey and centrally of and laminated with gripping portion 21 and .outer end lportions 28, 29-which are of larger width than said portion 21, extends a reinforcing tape 30 which is preferably made from light fabric or thread material.

As can be further seen from Fig. 7, handle 25 has a median part 21 whose width corresponds approximately to the width of the tape 30 while the outer portions 28 and 29 expose to view parts of adhesive 24, the areas thereof extending beyond the tape ends 30a, 301), respectively.

As can be further seen from Fig. 1, handle 25 is so arranged with respect to an opening 3| provided in flap |1 that the edges 28a and 29a of the outer end portions 28 and 29 of the handle 25 are substantially coinciding with the ends of opening 3| whereby the middle portion 21 of the handle 25 may be threaded through opening 3| as can be seen in Fig. 2. Flap |6 of receptacle part 23 has `a slit 32, having the end portions 33 and 34 of substantially the same width as the width of slit 3| and the oblique slit portions 35, 36 terminating in a substantially straight cut portion 31 which is parallel to the edge IBa of top flap I6. This slit 32 thus defines a ap 40 which may be swung about an axis 38 which `connects the end portions 33 and 34. Flap 40 is preferably s0 shaped that its oblique edge portions 35, 36 form guide means permitting ready manipulation thereof with respect to handle portion 21 when the same is brought into engagement with the end portions 33 and 34 of slit 32, whereby flap 40 overlies and closes opening 3|, as may be easily realized from Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. shows how the lower receptacle part 22 is brought into engagement with upper receptacle part 23 which moved in the direction of arrow A. The inner face |1a of top flap 1 carries handle 25 whose outer end portions are affixed to said inner face |1a, whereas the middle portion 21 of the handle is in the process of being moved past the tapered flap 40 provided in the top flap IB of receptacle part 23. The intermediate part 21 is moved in the direction of arrow B through the opening 4| which is obtained when tapered flap 40 is moved in downward direction (Fig. 5) or in opposite direction, if desired.

Fig. 6 shows the median handle portion 21 of handle 25 in its final position whereby the carton parts 22 and 23 are in engaged `and closed position and tapered nap 40 closes slot 4| and overlies opening 3|.

Fig. 8 shows the carton or receptacle parts 22, 23 in a position similar to that shown in Fig. 2. In this embodiment open slot 3`| is replaced by a narrow, knife-edge vslit 5l! having the end portions 5|, 52 and the intermediate slit portion `53 which is substantially parallel to the edge |1b of top flap I1. As can be seen from Fig. 8, the width of median handle portion 21 is `substantially the same as the extent of end portions 5| and 52 of the slit 50 which denes a flap 54 in the wall of top flap |1 and may be easily swung in downward or upward direction to permit passage of the median handle part 21, as may be realized from Fig. 8. It will further be obvious that in engaged and closed condition loi' receptacle parts 22, 23, handle 21 will extend above closed flap 40 which overlaps closed flap 54 in a manner simil-ar to that shown in Fig. 3.

Due to the fact that the outer end portions 28 and 29 of handle 25 are affixed to the innermost face |1a of the superimposed top flaps IB and |1 of the carton in closed condition thereof, the user is capable of carrying heavy loads 4 contained in the carton when gripping the median portion of handle 25.

It can further be seen that the carton, particularly due to the slit arrangements 31, 50 is not weakened to any marked degree, the carton is rather reinforced adjacent and at areas remote from said aforesaid slit arrangements by the lengthy tape reinforced paper end portions 28 and 29 of the handle.

Since the tape 30 comes to lie uppermost with respect to the paper layer of the handle when the latter is in operative position (in closed condition of the package or carton l0) the aesthetic appearance of the carton-handle construction will be enhanced while the paper layer of the median portion 21, which is arranged below tape 30 contributes to smooth and convenient engagement between said portion and the hand of a user who grasps the handle for carrying the package or carton.

As may be also realized from Figs. 5, 6 and 8, the width of the elongated slot 3| or slit 50 is such that median handle portion 21 of substantially similar width comes into engagement with the opposite ends of this slot 3| or slit 50 and is further held in this engagement position by the adjacent flap edges or ends 33, 34 which, after the median handle portion 21 has subsequently been moved past said flap 40, come in contact with said portion 21 whose width also corresponds substantially to that of said edges 33, 34 of said flap 40.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided according to this invention a carton, box or like container with two telescopically engageable parts, whose top walls are arranged in superposed position to each other to form lowermost and uppermost top walls in closed condition of said container parts, and means for securing said container parts in closed condition and for carrying the same, said means comprising a handle device provided with a median portion and an outer end portion at either end of said median portion, said lowermost top wall having an elongated opening whose width corresponds substantially to that of said median portion of said handle device, securing means attaching said end portions endwise and adjacent said opening to said lowermost top wall, the uppermost top wall being provided with a closeable slot including a tapered flap having opposite ends, said tapered flap being in registry with said opening in said lowermost top wall, the width of said opposite ends of said tapered flap being substantially the same as the width of said opening of said lowermost top wall and of said median handle portion, whereby upon passing said median handle portion through said opening of said lowermost top wall and then past said tapered flap of said uppermost top wall, said median handle portion will engage said opposite ends of said tapered flap and extend to the surface of said uppermost top wall.

Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be distinctly understood that various modification and adaptations of the arrangements herein disclosed may be made and may readily occur to persons skilled in the art without constituting a reparture from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the objects and in the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

In a container having upper and lower walls arranged in superposed position in closed condition of said container; said upper wall and said lower wall being each provided with an elongated flap, the lengths of said aps being substantially equal, each flap being dened by a narrow knifeedge slit provided in the respective wall and being provided with opposite ends of substantially equal width, said flaps being arranged in overlapping relation to each other so that a portion of the flap of the upper wall overlies in lateral direction said slit of said lower Wall and closes said slit of said lower wall in closed condition of said container, the opposite ends of said iiap of said upper wall being parallel, said flap of said upper wall including portions extending obliquely from the ends at an angle greater than 90 to provide handle guide means, a handle provided with a median gripping piece and with enlarged end pieces, said end pieces being permanently arlixed to the underface of said lower wall, the width of said median gripping piece corresponding substantially to the width of the opposite ends of said flaps, whereby said median gripping piece may be moved through said slits and guided past said flaps along said guide means for position within said opposite slit ends and for contact with said opposite flap ends so as to extend above said flaps in said closed condition of said container,

6 said enlarged end pieces of said handle terminating at said opposite ends of said slits of said lower Wall and forming a reinforcement thereat, and a fabric tape reinforcing and laminated to said handle, said fabric tape being of uniform width throughout its length and corresponding to the width of said median gripping piece and being of a length terminating at said end piecesof said handle, the width of each end piece being' at least twice the width of said median gripping piece.

ALBERT J. GOLDSMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,039,619 Webb Sept, 24, 1912 1,076,076 Story Oct. 21, 1913 1,141,789 Freese June l, 1915 1,171,228 Misroch Feb. 8, 1916 1,268,706 Freese June 4, 1918 2,117,502 Reich May 17, 1938 2,222,358 Olsen Nov. 19, 1940 2,250,010 Cohn July 2-2, 1941 2,344,009 Trogman Mar. 14, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 454,304 France Apr. 24, 1913 

